goes to the bar at the other side of the living room to mix up two drinks for us. I spread my napkin in my lap and wait, staring out at the LA skyline.
It’s like nothing that just happened matters anymore. It’s all been erased. I’m at ease with Kaidan. Alone like this, away from prying eyes, it feels… real . There’s this easy connection with him that I’ve never felt with anyone before… like I’ve always known him, like I’m meant to be here with him.
Kaidan comes back with what turns out to be a delicious pineapple and coconut rum drink that reminds me of something I had at a day spa in Hawaii when I vacationed there last.
We lift the silver covers from our plates. Teriyaki salmon, saffron rice, and crisp summer vegetables.
“I hope you like salmon. You seemed to like the fish sandwich at Georgie’s.”
“I love it.”
He sips his usual dark rum on the rocks as I take the first mouthwatering bite.
“This was the meal I would have recommended at the Japanese steakhouse… if I hadn’t screwed that up. I hope this one is as good.”
I stiffen in my seat over the memory of him standing me up but decide it’s kind of cute that he ordered it here, trying to fix what he broke. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”
We eat in easy silence for a time, and every idea for conversation I can come up with revolves around what happened tonight. By the time we’re almost done with our food, the memories begin to erode the little bubble of happiness we have here. Finally I can’t keep it in anymore. “You think they got all that on film?”
Kaidan lets out a heavy sigh. “No doubt about it.”
“I looked like a…” I trail off, thinking of how trashy I looked tonight. And I didn’t even start it.
“Drowned rat?” Kaidan offers.
I let out a surprised laugh and slap my hand over my mouth. “Shut. Up.”
He smirks and finishes off his drink. “Sorry. I tell it like I see it.”
I shake my head. “That was bad. Really bad. They’ll never invite me back!”
Kaidan gets up from the table and comes around to grab my empty glass. “They’ll have no choice but to allow you back. Because you’ll be with me.”
He gets this smug look, and I roll my eyes in mock annoyance.
He takes my glass over to the bar and gestures for me to follow, so I do.
I sit at one of the three white leather bar stools and watch him stir my drink.
“What you said…” I trail off.
He hands me my drink and starts on his. “What I said…”
“Never mind.”
“Say it.”
“What you said… to her ,” I say quietly, wishing I’d kept my mouth shut. Why do I need to put a label on what we have here?
Kaidan finishes making his drink and looks up at me. “The part where I said I’m done with her? Or the part where I said I’m with you?
I take a sip of my drink and try to act like I don’t care that much. “Well, both.”
He sets down his drink, comes around the bar, and takes my drink out of my hand to set it on the bar top. I’m tall enough on the bar stool that when he spins it, we’re face to face.
He gently parts my legs so he can stand even closer, but he leaves one hand on my thigh. Heat spreads in my belly at the casual touch, and as we lock eyes, my breath quickens.
“I said I wanted to be with you.” His voice is deep, and he’s so close I can feel the warmth emanating off of him, smell the scent of his cologne. I’m hyper-aware of the mere inches between his hand on my thigh and my panties. My nipples harden against the stiff fabric of the shirt I’m wearing, giving me away. His eyes flick there, and he slides his hand further up my leg, grazes the crease between my thigh and my damp cleft with his thumb.
“And I thought you wanted to be with me, too,” he says, his voice husky now. “Are you having second thoughts?”
He’s watching my face, and I’m trying to keep it together as he caresses me so close to my sex. “No, I…”
He leans closer, still watching me with smoldering
It’s like nothing that just happened matters anymore. It’s all been erased. I’m at ease with Kaidan. Alone like this, away from prying eyes, it feels… real . There’s this easy connection with him that I’ve never felt with anyone before… like I’ve always known him, like I’m meant to be here with him.
Kaidan comes back with what turns out to be a delicious pineapple and coconut rum drink that reminds me of something I had at a day spa in Hawaii when I vacationed there last.
We lift the silver covers from our plates. Teriyaki salmon, saffron rice, and crisp summer vegetables.
“I hope you like salmon. You seemed to like the fish sandwich at Georgie’s.”
“I love it.”
He sips his usual dark rum on the rocks as I take the first mouthwatering bite.
“This was the meal I would have recommended at the Japanese steakhouse… if I hadn’t screwed that up. I hope this one is as good.”
I stiffen in my seat over the memory of him standing me up but decide it’s kind of cute that he ordered it here, trying to fix what he broke. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”
We eat in easy silence for a time, and every idea for conversation I can come up with revolves around what happened tonight. By the time we’re almost done with our food, the memories begin to erode the little bubble of happiness we have here. Finally I can’t keep it in anymore. “You think they got all that on film?”
Kaidan lets out a heavy sigh. “No doubt about it.”
“I looked like a…” I trail off, thinking of how trashy I looked tonight. And I didn’t even start it.
“Drowned rat?” Kaidan offers.
I let out a surprised laugh and slap my hand over my mouth. “Shut. Up.”
He smirks and finishes off his drink. “Sorry. I tell it like I see it.”
I shake my head. “That was bad. Really bad. They’ll never invite me back!”
Kaidan gets up from the table and comes around to grab my empty glass. “They’ll have no choice but to allow you back. Because you’ll be with me.”
He gets this smug look, and I roll my eyes in mock annoyance.
He takes my glass over to the bar and gestures for me to follow, so I do.
I sit at one of the three white leather bar stools and watch him stir my drink.
“What you said…” I trail off.
He hands me my drink and starts on his. “What I said…”
“Never mind.”
“Say it.”
“What you said… to her ,” I say quietly, wishing I’d kept my mouth shut. Why do I need to put a label on what we have here?
Kaidan finishes making his drink and looks up at me. “The part where I said I’m done with her? Or the part where I said I’m with you?
I take a sip of my drink and try to act like I don’t care that much. “Well, both.”
He sets down his drink, comes around the bar, and takes my drink out of my hand to set it on the bar top. I’m tall enough on the bar stool that when he spins it, we’re face to face.
He gently parts my legs so he can stand even closer, but he leaves one hand on my thigh. Heat spreads in my belly at the casual touch, and as we lock eyes, my breath quickens.
“I said I wanted to be with you.” His voice is deep, and he’s so close I can feel the warmth emanating off of him, smell the scent of his cologne. I’m hyper-aware of the mere inches between his hand on my thigh and my panties. My nipples harden against the stiff fabric of the shirt I’m wearing, giving me away. His eyes flick there, and he slides his hand further up my leg, grazes the crease between my thigh and my damp cleft with his thumb.
“And I thought you wanted to be with me, too,” he says, his voice husky now. “Are you having second thoughts?”
He’s watching my face, and I’m trying to keep it together as he caresses me so close to my sex. “No, I…”
He leans closer, still watching me with smoldering
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